Seasiders hot-shot Day sets sights on top finish to season

Andy Bloomfield

Bridlington Town’s scoring sensation Jake Day is setting his sights on top spot in the NCEL scoring charts after an astounding season.

Day, 25, has smashed in 48 league and cup goals after netting a brace in last night’s NCEL League Cup semi-final defeat at home to AFC Mansfield, putting him in top spot in the NCEL scoring charts, with Ryan Blott (Pickering Town) and Mansfield's Oliver Fearon two behind on 46, the latter being the only one who can match or overtake Day.

The striker made the ideal start to life at Queensgate with a hat-trick on his debut against Albion Sports in January 2017, and he hasn’t looked back since.

Day said: “It would be great to finish with 50 goals but at the start of the season Curtis and I set a target of 35 and I have made it past that, I have finished with 35 in the league alone so I am delighted with that tally.

“It may not have been a great season for us in the league, but if we win a cup final that will make up for it.”

Looking back to his move to Brid last year, the forward said: “I hadn’t been getting a game for Scarborough and Curtis approached me saying I would get a chance as I would play the first three games with Brett Agnew being out.

“I was delighted to get the chance to play for my home town club. My mates, who I used to play with in the local leagues, try to get down and watch me play for Brid as much as possible

“I did very well getting six goals in those first three games, but I was always going to have to battle for a regular spot as Brett is a very experienced player at this level.

“It helped me a lot to play with Brett and watch him as I started to notice the runs he would make off the ball.

“We may never have clicked as a strike duo as we were similar target men type strikers, but I learned a lot from him.”

Day continued to make the most of his chances when called upon from the subs bench, or when playing from the start, and this season, since Agnew’s departure to North Ferriby, the former Bridlington Sports Club striker has hit a rich vein of form.

“I have formed a good partnership with Joel Sutton and Andy Norfolk since Brett left, as they both play in behind as part of a front three with me as a central target man.

“I am only 25 and I can certainly see my future at Bridlington Town as I want to do well here. Of course if a team from higher up the leagues came in for me I would have to look at it.

“North Ferriby came in for me a while back but I did not want to go there as I did not like what happened when they took a lot of our players back in January.”

Day was scoring goals for fun in his early days as a senior footballer playing for Bridlington Sports Club.

He added: “I was getting 60 goals per season in the local leagues for Club, but I then thought why not have a go at a higher level and I went to Boro.

“It may not have worked out for me there but it was a good stepping stone to play for Bridlington Town as I realised that you had to be a lot more dedicated at this level, combining travelling for midweek games and playing with working full-time as well.”

Day's final game of the season for Town is Tuesday's East Riding FA Senior Cup final, where he will be hoping to reach the 50-goal mark, while Mansfield's Fearon, who is two goals behind him, has one game remaining as well, the NCEL League Cup final against Liversedge on Monday May 21 at Sheffield United's Bramall Lane ground.

The Seasiders will be aiming for a fourth successive season when they face last year’s runners-up Hull City Academy at the Roy West Centre, 7.45pm ko.

Admission to the final is £6 for adults, with concessions £3.

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